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Low Lines Flash NDS Compatibility List

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Low Lines

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Fixes & Updates

Oh crap...
Well, I don't really know too much when it comes to web browsers. Hopefully the problem is something in the Flash file, which I'd be able to fix, but if it is a browser problem. I can't do anything about it. Does anyone have any idea what could be doing it?
Hmm...I'll run the page in Dreamweaver and use the browser test options, hopefully that might shed some light...

Yay!! I've fixed the problem!! Dreamweaver is brilliant!!
But if anyone tries any other web browsers and they get problems, tell me so I can look into it.

This is posted on my site...
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I don't think the loading pause that happens when you load a compat list can be avoided. But while I was trying to remove it, I discovered an even easier way of using my information which will make things like search functions a cinch!! Here's some screenshots of custom listviewing options...
compatprev2a.png - Sorted Alphabetically According to Game Name
compatprev2b.png - Sorted Alphabetically & in order of Playability.
And to do the above only had to add 1 character to make it do 2 things at once, this is brilliant!!
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I won't get a fixed version of the list up this weekend, but I should have it up next Saturday along with a compatibility List for iDeaS 1.0.0.7.

Also, there will be a new playability option that will intergrate into the list. For now I'm calling it "Missing/Unknown". What it will do is cover games I've added to the main list, that either aren't currently on my list or have not yet been dumped (in other words upcoming games). The reason why I'm going to have this is because I won't always be able to update it as often as I usually do, and now that sigloiv has been working on a DeSmuME list any new games he adds to his list will show up as "undefiened or NaN". So if I have upcoming games added as well, when they are dumped and tested, information on them will already be avaliable so I won't have to get off my ass and change things with every new game.

This option would also be useful for XML authors (such as sigloiv) so they can tell if they have missed any games.

Also, sigloiv!! Have you been adding serial numbers to all new games you add to your list? Cos I have made them the center of the XML and if they aren't there, games WILL NOT SHOW on the list. So you need to make sure you have serials as well as testing information whenever you add new games to your list. But we will find out anyway when you get it online.

I'm very excited to see if it will work, (yes my fingers are crossed!!). Cos if it doesn't we may have a problem...
 
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sigloiv

New member
Yes, I have been adding serial numbers. Yay, I did something right. :)

Also, I just wanted to let you know that it works in my primary browser: Opera. I don't get any boxart, but then again, I don't think I'm supposed to (yet). Am I correct in saying this?

EDIT: Alright, my home web server is working again.

WIP: http://sigloiv.dyndns.org:8080/desemume0.0.3wip.xml
WIP2: http://sigloiv.dyndns.org:8080/desemume0.0.3wip2.xml
My Personal Blank: http://sigloiv.dyndns.org:8080/ndsblank.xml

The WIP2 has absolutely no data in yet. It's just a copy of the blank. However, I will try to get it updated some time later today.
 
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Cyberman

Moderator
Moderator
FireFox Linux locks up the computer practically what version of Flash are you using LowLines? I recomend using the OLDEST possible version. Often older variants are less resource hogs. Flash 7 is currently the latest on Linux firefox I have.

I would suggest a minimalist design to start with (IE it works with firefox). IE is part of the windows OS, it's compatibility is very high because everyone designs with IE in mind (currently it's 75% of the market share though people still think it's 90%).

Cyb
 

SWAT_Marc

Ind. Design Student
I think I read he was using Flash 8.0, but XML support is found since 6.0 if I'm not wrong. He could use Flash8.0 and export it as 6.0 or later (just change it in Publish Settings, in "File" menu).

Edit: Well, it could be possible if he coded it originally in AS1.0, not in AS2.0.

Edit #2: just looked in his website and found that: This is a compatibility list database originally designed for the Nintendo DS emulator iDeas. It now supports multiple list which other people have written. It is done in Flash 8, so if you don't have the latest plugin, you'll need to download it from the link below in order to view the list.

I repeat he could export it as Flash 6.0/7.0 (7.0 supports AS2.0)
 
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OP
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Low Lines

New member
If I down-graded it to Flash 7 or earlier, I would loose advanced text formatting (which makes the text appear more smooth) and I don't think my new search method is avaliable on anything older than Flash 8. Also this would not speed things up at all, and I am sure of that!!

To be technical, the reason why it takes so long to load is because it is locating each and every game in one XML to the other (through indexOf("serial number")). In otherwords, it is searching every item comparing serial numbers until it finds the right one and it is doing this for every game.
To be honest, it is a very very stupid way of doing things and I am now cursing myself for choosing it. The only good side about it is that it simplifies the compat list file a great deal, and if I decide to change a name of a game (for whatever reasons) I only have to do it for one XML file and not every single compat list that is part of the Flash resources.
Another thing that would obviously be using up a lot of memory (though not nearly as much as the other thing) would be the process of converting XML representations to their true symbols (ie & becomes & and ' becomes ').
I'm using loop functions to gather data from my XMLs, the only problem with them is that with the more items that have to be examined, the longer it will take to load that information up. But I'm gonna be positive here and say that I will eventually find a way of speeding things up, it may just take time and skill to do it.

Actually, I might try storing all data not found in a compat list XML (ie Name, Rom Size, etc) in the actual Flash file. It would eliminate the need to search for things (or at least I hope so) and hopefully speed things up. But it would mean I would have to regularly update the Flash file instead of an external XML. This will purely be a test so it may not be anything, but if it does make things work faster...

Also, I'll get those links hooked up right away sigloiv, lets hope it works!!
 

Cyberman

Moderator
Moderator
Low Lines said:
If I down-graded it to Flash 7 or earlier, I would loose advanced text formatting (which makes the text appear more smooth) and I don't think my new search method is avaliable on anything older than Flash 8. Also this would not speed things up at all, and I am sure of that!!
A few things, if it doesn't work... you are loosing nothing correct? And functionality is before cool interface, or have you forgotten windows cool interface but 8 years of viruses and crashes? You should build something with the proper functional foundation so all your work won't come crashing on your head :D
Low Lines said:
To be technical, the reason why it takes so long to load is because it is locating each and every game in one XML to the other (through indexOf("serial number")). In otherwords, it is searching every item comparing serial numbers until it finds the right one and it is doing this for every game.
Can you read everything 'pertinent' into a hashing array for quick retrieval of the information you need?
Low Lines said:
To be honest, it is a very very stupid way of doing things and I am now cursing myself for choosing it. The only good side about it is that it simplifies the compat list file a great deal, and if I decide to change a name of a game (for whatever reasons) I only have to do it for one XML file and not every single compat list that is part of the Flash resources.
Make it work first. It does not in linux, it runs but only displays the list to the right with arrows and some colorful dots next to the list.
Low Lines said:
Another thing that would obviously be using up a lot of memory (though not nearly as much as the other thing) would be the process of converting XML representations to their true symbols (ie & becomes & and ' becomes ').
[/qoute] I may be wrong but you don't need XML formating for all symbol types do you? can't you use a reference ( I forget the precise XML term) for the data? XML formating is kind of combersome that's all :)
Low Lines said:
I'm using loop functions to gather data from my XMLs, the only problem with them is that with the more items that have to be examined, the longer it will take to load that information up. But I'm gonna be positive here and say that I will eventually find a way of speeding things up, it may just take time and skill to do it.

Actually, I might try storing all data not found in a compat list XML (ie Name, Rom Size, etc) in the actual Flash file. It would eliminate the need to search for things (or at least I hope so) and hopefully speed things up. But it would mean I would have to regularly update the Flash file instead of an external XML. This will purely be a test so it may not be anything, but if it does make things work faster...

Also, I'll get those links hooked up right away sigloiv, lets hope it works!!
First I would set up functions to retrieve a structure with the data. This way your basic interface does NOT change. Second I would hash the data so that you can retrieve it quickly based on Serial #. These two things will likely make it faster and easier to deal with . I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

Cyb
 
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Low Lines

New member
I don't mind you giving you thoughts and ideas on the subject (I am very happy you are). But try to keep your words a bit simpler, cos it is harder for me to understand them especially when things get technical.

With the arrays, I would still need to parse the list in order to create them. It does makes things a hell of a lot easier to get if they are all in the same place.

With your test with the Linux, did your browser ask at all for any further plugins?? Cos I tried it on my school's computers and it seemed to need a "Active X Controller" or something which I did not know it even needed. But what the list looked like sounds just like what happened to you. But I am only guessing...

Also you are right about the whole functionality thing, I'm afraid that's just my perfectionist shining through cos I like to do things neat.

And with the XML symbolling. I'm not too certain about them, I mean the XML will convert certain symbols or will come up as an error when run. And at the moment, the only way I know how to change them back is with that same find function as with locating the serials. I might also add that I learnt this from another source, which means I am no genius. Hopefully there should be some kind of parse action I could use that would simplify it.

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First I would set up functions to retrieve a structure with the data. This way your basic interface does NOT change. Second I would hash the data so that you can retrieve it quickly based on Serial #. These two things will likely make it faster and easier to deal with . I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time.
I've already chosen to do that...Which is where my cinch search and sorting functions become extremely easier to do. But again it does not speed things up because it still has to parse the XML to retrieve the information, which is where this long pause is. I wait about 6-7 seconds and an entire array is created much like this...

myArray = [ASME,Super Mario 64 DS,128,4,black screen],
[AUSE,Ultimate Spider-Man,512,4,black screen],

etc...
The first 2 nodes (name and rom size) are found in my main XML which stores all non-emu testing information I might decide to use.

The last 2 (playability and status) are stored in the compat list XMLs.

Now I can either choose to have the first or second XML as my center, I would then use the serials to collect external information from other sources using the search function I mentioned earlier.

All this information will then get stored into an array which is generated from scratch every time a resource changes (ie a new compat list is loaded). (Quick note, this does not happen in the current online version!!). Once of course the XML has been parsed and the arrays are complete, the list is then loaded using the arrays. Like I said, once the initial XML parsing has been done, the program runs brilliantly and smoothly. It is only when that information has to be re-gathered from external sources that it has to do it's little loading thingo again.

I might also mention that this is not a program, but more or less an imitation of one done so through the use of clever movieclips and carefull actionscript code. So I doubt it would work on the same basis of a program.

I can't really work on it through the week, (even though I'm writing a reply right now) but mainly on weekends. So I try and look into this problem then and hopefully then I will come up with some miraculous way of solving all my problems.
 
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OP
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Low Lines

New member
Yet More Problems As The Day Draws On...

sigloiv,
I was hoping I could just copy your link and hope that it would load it up into Flash no problem. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to like my idea of easiness and refuses to even look for it!! Grrr!!!

So I downloaded a copy of one of your XMLs and pasted it into my local drive where I do all my tests and stuff. And I am happy to say that it works fine on the Flash database, I think it was something like 10 games were playable, 6 were ingame, 35 were not playable and 55 didn't work.

I am very sorry, but I may not get a chance to fix it until the weekend, but hey!! You did absolutely nothing wrong, as far as I could tell!!

Nice job with it too!!
 

sigloiv

New member
Cool. I got a really busy week and I'm out of town this weekend, so there probably won't be a lot of DeSmuME updates for a little bit. Sorr about that. :(
 

Cyberman

Moderator
Moderator
Low Lines said:
I don't mind you giving you thoughts and ideas on the subject (I am very happy you are). But try to keep your words a bit simpler, cos it is harder for me to understand them especially when things get technical.
Short words, nothing like self perpetuating automotons and such right? I'll try not to exacerbate things or cause mental twitterpation. :D

Ahem... ;) I'll behave.
Low Lines said:
With the arrays, I would still need to parse the list in order to create them. It does makes things a hell of a lot easier to get if they are all in the same place.
You know a guy who writes a news letter called the embeded muse wrote this "Think your database out carefully before hand for any project that might use one." Can you access an SQL database from Flash? I know emutalk supports this because the PHP based boards use them with the message data base.

Low Lines said:
With your test with the Linux, did your browser ask at all for any further plugins?? Cos I tried it on my school's computers and it seemed to need a "Active X Controller" or something which I did not know it even needed. But what the list looked like sounds just like what happened to you. But I am only guessing...
No.. no errors just did not display any text.
Low Lines said:
Also you are right about the whole functionality thing, I'm afraid that's just my perfectionist shining through cos I like to do things neat.
Ahhh... hmmm you might wish to use PHP instead of flash I think you can get away with a bit O Java code. Flash is OK, but still a bit non-standard. I would prefer myself to use PHP and bits of Java code. That's just me :D
Low Lines said:
And with the XML symbolling. I'm not too certain about them, I mean the XML will convert certain symbols or will come up as an error when run. And at the moment, the only way I know how to change them back is with that same find function as with locating the serials. I might also add that I learnt this from another source, which means I am no genius. Hopefully there should be some kind of parse action I could use that would simplify it.
It's not all that important I suppose. You might want to automatically convert updated XML files into a database supported using SQL. then the Database format is superfluous. However I'm getting DeCarte before the horse (bad pun I know).

Low Lines said:
I might also mention that this is not a program, but more or less an imitation of one done so through the use of clever movieclips and carefull actionscript code. So I doubt it would work on the same basis of a program.
Ahhh that is what's going on LOL :) Hmmmm
Low Lines said:
I can't really work on it through the week, (even though I'm writing a reply right now) but mainly on weekends. So I try and look into this problem then and hopefully then I will come up with some miraculous way of solving all my problems.
There is always more than one way of doing things, the best way is to use what you are familiar with. I suppose I ought to work on some PHP scripting (hmmm) unfortunately I need to reinstall my httpd server with PHP support (sigh) so I can experiment.

So it seems you are creating the data on the fly which flash somehow uses?

I'll send a capture of what Linux shows in the flash screen and put it in scream shots.

Ta

Cyb
 

SWAT_Marc

Ind. Design Student
Cyberman is having problems with a 7.0 flash plugin.

What features of Flash 8.0 are you using? Because as refered to programming, Flash 8.0 is almost the same, it just includes new expressions to the API (and mostly focused to data display: bitmapcache, etc)
 
OP
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Low Lines

New member
Uhh...I'm only guessing, but unless Linux just doesn't like me and my coding, it could be because most (if not all) text use advanced rendering, which is only avaliable in Flash 8.

Also, I am more comfortable doing things in Flash than Java or PHP. Mainly because I find it easier and that I never really got into other coding languages, either cos I found them too hard or that I was too impatient to get results (keeping in mind I was about 12, when I made that choice, but I can't really remember how far back I've been doing this stuff).

I made this Flash database for several reasons...

1) I wanted to help out on the scene and make my skills useful rather than just letting them waste away at home.

2) I needed to practise, and get used to having deadlines (as such like the ones I give myself).

3) I was a little bit fixiated on listmenus and XML at the time.

This Flash database is like a test so I can see where I stand, and how well I can adapt to my requirements to create something that would not only be useful but simple and easy to update.

This all may sound like some kind of assignment or something, but this is just how I look at things, because I've been told to do that sort of thing.

And even though this is merely something I do for free time and lesiure, I am still learning and improving upon my skills the more I work on it. For instance, the functionality of the list menu (ie scrolling, searching) has been pretty much something I hardly could do before I started it.

Why am I telling you all this?? Just to give people an idea of the grounds I am working on and why I did not choose to do a HTML list or PHP or whatever other way it could have been done.

By the way, what is SQL?? What's it stand for?? I've heard of it, but I don't really know what it is...

Man am I going to have a busy weekend...
 

SWAT_Marc

Ind. Design Student
LowLines, forget advanced text rendering, it's almost useless in font-size bigger than 12points. Try using "render as html" instead, in the text-box settings.
 

sigloiv

New member
Cyberman: Just out of curiosity, have you attempted any other browsers besides Firefox in Linux (like Opera--Konquerer is pain with Flash)? I'm pretty familiar with the OS, and I just want to see if this is a plugin issue or a browser.

I'm guessing that the netscape-flash plugin just doesn't support some of the features that Low Lines is using. Something that, unless he dumbed down the SWF, would be impossible to fix without Macromedia just implementing them.

Low Lines: If you're not familiar with SQL, it's going to be really, really tough to write an app that takes advantage of it. Basically, it's just a database system. It uses tables, columns, and rows (much like a spreadsheet) to store values. Most large dynamic systems use SQL (like this forum that we're currently discussing in).
 

Cyberman

Moderator
Moderator
Low Lines said:
well bugger that then...
SQL = SeQueL or Sequential Querry Language. It's a interface system into a database allowing you to pull data from it in ASCII form. It allows you to sort and retrieve data as needed. It's used from WEB pages to Corperate databases. Oracle IBM MickeySoft all uses SQL as there interface. So it's not exactly uncommon. In fact this forum is supported using SQL querries to a database. That being said XML parsing would not be necessary to querry the database, since you can recieve it in any format you want depending on your querry to the database.

What you are doing Low Lines is a Database application. I'm not sure what kind of interface Flash can deal with, but SQL can manage data quite well. If you can access the SQL server here, might be able get Martin to set something up for your Flash construct. Is it possible for you to allow the flash system to 'upload' XML based information that can be processed by a script and results added to the database in real time? (That seems a more Java script oreinted thing). I suppose you could create a section of the site to handle updates. Although you might want to filter through them first (IE no 'this game sucks' additions).

As for the fancy formating, do you really need it, or is it a feature you want to use? :D

Anyhow we are merely bouncing ideas here not making a polical campaign for 'my favorite way of doing things' LOL.

Enjoy :D
 

SWAT_Marc

Ind. Design Student
Cyberman said:
What you are doing Low Lines is a Database application. I'm not sure what kind of interface Flash can deal with, but SQL can manage data quite well. If you can access the SQL server here, might be able get Martin to set something up for your Flash construct. Is it possible for you to allow the flash system to 'upload' XML based information that can be processed by a script and results added to the database in real time? (That seems a more Java script oreinted thing). I suppose you could create a section of the site to handle updates. Although you might want to filter through them first (IE no 'this game sucks' additions).

I think you can use Flash with PHP+SQL for powerful databases. I'm not sure, but I also think that Flash can upload XML data (with ActionScript 2.0, which is an OOP language).

Cyberman said:
As for the fancy formating, do you really need it, or is it a feature you want to use? :D
With "render as HTML" and/or text size=12 you can read it clear enough. And if it were tons of text to read, but it's just a simple line...

I would use plugin version 7.0

Come on, just try to export it as 7.0 to test if it works on linux ;)
 
OP
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Low Lines

New member
I've got quite a bit of homework to do by Monday, including several assignments (drafts, and re-drafts as such). Hopefully I should get in done easily so I can look into it.

With all this stuff about the information, would it be easier to say all I need is the data (to be sent to the Flash) to be in the form of an Array?? Rather than trying to stick with the XML idea, that is of course if it could be done quicker and easier in another form.

All I would need is something like (Array = [ASMP,Super Mario 64 DS,128,...etc]. And I could use this to calculate all the functions and shit with it.
Cos if I can have the Array (with all information inserted into it) already done before the Flash loads it, the loading pause would disappear since Flash would be no longer in charge of doing it. But again, someone would need to show me and explain to me how, cos to know a method like this (I think) would be very useful to have.

XML is only good when you have a FIXED database, ie with only one source in which to obtain it from.
The only thing would be would the datafiles that it would obtain its information from be simple enough for everyday people (or people like me and sigloiv) to edit with little need of knowledge of it?? (or would you just stick to XML??)

I'm very glad there is a (perhaps) intelligent conversation on the works of my database. It's way easier to explain things (mainly with code) when others know what you are talking about...
 
OP
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Low Lines

New member
Fixed the Problems!!

Hey it's me again!! I am very happy to announce that I have totally fixed that whole problem with the loading pause, so there will be no need for SQL or whatever else we were talking about.
If you have 256 RAM+ it should be almost instantaneous (allowing it of course time to download the 45 KB file once). And any further waiting has nothing to do with the XML, AND I AM SURE OF IT!! I even tested it in a simple trace function and it had no pause whatsoever!!
I managed to rid myself of that stupid indexOf function by simply parsing both XMLs separately creating virtual Arrays named as a serial (ie ASMP). That way when the second XML is parsed (as well as any others after it) extra data is simply added onto the end of the Arrays. And then I just glued them all together into one Array called HOLD. This all happens instantly and makes the original code for parsing the XMLs seem totally crap.
Also, there was indeed a pre-defined piece of Actionscript that swaps & to & etc without the need of further coding, thus of course deminishing the pause time to it's minimal.
I am very pleased with all the interest in it, and I hope these new fixes will makes things heaps better.

Also I've put up a down-graded verison (for Flash 7) on the main site which you can all have a look at and see if it makes any difference. But if you still have problems with web browsers, I don't want to hear about it anymore cos there is absolutely nothing else I can do in the actionscript that will make it any better for them.
What I would say though is to wait as patiently as you can until I can wip up a new downloadable version similar to the original one that was avaliable in the Forums. Cos it will be self-contained, it shouldn't have any problems like the online version. But please don't tell me anymore about browsers not working cos what might end up being the problem is that those browsers are just not compatible with Flash (7 or 8) or the use of XML scripting or even both.
Also do take into account how crappy the text looks in the Flash 7 version, that should hopefully make my point on the matter.

And sigloiv, I'm very very sorry, but I was reading the help files that come with Flash 8 and it says "if you are loading an eternal XML and the Flash swf file is running in a browser, the XML must therefor be in the same domain or else it cannot find it." In other words, unless desmume003wip.xml is in my FTP account, my stupid Flash database can't locate it, no matter how I do it.
But it should work for a downloadable version no problem, and don't worry too much at the moment cos not all my options have been exhausted yet.
 

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